


Wishing You a Merry Foxmas

by Space_Kry



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: AFTG Holiday Fanzine, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Fluff, Heathens Greetings, Its just happiness and cute Christmas, Multi, Pillow & Blanket Forts, the foxes are happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 05:11:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17197145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Space_Kry/pseuds/Space_Kry
Summary: Neil hasn't had a Christmas with the Foxes. Not an actual one at least. This year they plan it to be perfect.Neil has hope that it will be.





	Wishing You a Merry Foxmas

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays, however late it is.
> 
> This is a work for the AFTG Holiday Fanzine "Heathens Greetings", you can find it on Tumblr @aftgholidayzine. This has been for an amazing cause, Lost-n-Found Youth. All the proceeds of the zine are going there, so please check it out and buy or donate if you can.  
> I want to thank the Heathens who made this such a good experience for me. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for making this the best thing to happen in a while. Y'all made this worth it.
> 
> Enough of that, enjoy the story.

Fox Tower is a mess. More so than usual, at least as the Christmas season approaches. Most of the other teams have left for the holidays, leaving the Foxes alone to wreak havoc upon the building, and leaving behind some possibly permanent additions to the dorms.

Unlike the normal chaos of the building, winter time finds the Palmetto state athlete building filled with festive decorations in the neon orange and white of the team, as well as a copious amount of fox decorations. It is a testament to some Foxes love of Christmas that they managed to find the particular shade, though it _is_ possible Allison paid for it to be specially made. But the bright colours now covering the halls and surrounding the doors of the Foxes create a disorganised harmony of chaotic good intentions.

Neil watched in slight disbelief over the week leading up to the Christmas break and the days preceding the big day itself as things transformed under the watchful eyes of Nicky and Allison; both of them needing to be in control of the decor else it end up not being exactly what they envisioned, or just looking awful. Neil doesn’t know exactly at this point. The walls are strung with tinsel and fairy lights, there are wreaths on each door, some of which have been made with extra care and detail, while the ones for the cubs are mostly basic. Neil wonders why they are making such an effort to do all of these things when it will be taken down soon after Christmas anyway. It’s so much for such a little amount of time and it just seems so unnecessary.

It isn’t that he doesn’t like Christmas, but most of his past experiences with the holiday have been less than ideal, and so it is with silent apprehension that Neil counts down the days until December twenty-fifth. The rest of the team have seen his responses; how he shifts away and tends to do whatever he can to ignore the festivities happening around him. He tries to stay away from it all, even when sat in the girls room with everyone else he doesn’t really seem to be there for the holidays, more just being there but not being a part of it.

So they stage something of an intervention, so that they can explain and make sure he is aware of why the Foxes are going to such lengths this year.

🎄

When he enters the girls room, Neil knows something is up. Other than the bright tinsel, the glittery Christmas tree and the fox plush toys wearing santa hats. The rest of the team, minus the cubs who are often excluded from gatherings because they annoy most of the team, is gathered around on the couches and on blankets and pillows. Someone managed to get Andrew there even, though the blank look on his face betrays his lack of care to the reason. He was probably bribed, or at the least asked by Renee to be there for Neil, as support.

“Come sit Neil, we wanted to talk with you.” Renee is the first, and only person to speak, the rest watching as Neil eyes them like he’s considering running out of the room and probably back to his, which is significantly less cheery for the holidays. He does sit though, next to Andrew on a pile of blankets, several of which have been wrapped around his not-boyfriend who gets cold easy and complains if he isn’t covered in at least two warm blankets like a burrito.

“Let’s just get this over with. Neil you don’t like Christmas, you have a good reason for that, what with the disaster that is your life. But we want to make this one a good one for you, because it’s your first one with us as a Fox proper, and our last one,” Allison gestures to the rest of the girls before continuing, “and we want it to be something special. Some of us really want you to be able to enjoy yourself, so you aren’t getting a choice but to be festive and happy about it. Understood?” It’s concise and to the point, but the others seem to be in agreement.

He knows that he should be more like that, he has enjoyed the little time he’s spent with the Foxes over the last week. Mostly in this room, while everyone drinks and tells ridiculous stories about Christmas’s they’ve had. It’s been funny, and he has to admit, when he lets himself forget the horror of his past, it’s been enjoyable to spend so much time around his family and to see them so happy. Even if he has made himself seem less interested, if only so they don’t try and rope him into talking about Christmas, or so they won’t make things much worse than it is.

“Okay, I guess I’ve been a bit ridiculous about it all. Does that mean you’re decorating our room too? Or does Andrew scare you too much?” He directs his query to Nicky, who starts beaming and looks like he is about to start babbling before he’s cut off by Allison.

“Andrew told us we can do what we want, as long as you agree to it. I think he hoped you’d say no.” She’s grinning, and Neil is sure that she’s just won money from several people in this room based on the look on some people’s faces. He doesn’t let himself hope too much that things will turn out well. But he can’t help but let the hope win when surrounded by family.

That’s how Andrew, Neil and a very drunk Kevin ended up decorating their room with Christmas things directed by Nicky. Someone found exy related decorations, Kevin was very happy about that, it might have been the vodka, but Neil thinks that even sober him would be enjoying it a bit. Andrew moved things around the room after Neil or Kevin put it somewhere, either out of spite or because he thought it might look better where he put it is a mystery because he doesn’t answer the questions being sent his way. But the room is starting to look really nice, even if it’s haphazard, and none of it is as expertly done as the rest of the decorations in the tower. Just when he thought is was over, Nicky takes a look around and stops babbling about some story he’d been telling after a moment of surveillance.

“Neil! We need a tree, you three are the only ones without one and it would look really good over there in the corner.” Nicky nearly bounces with excitement, pointing to the corner of the the room near to the window where there is a convenient empty spot.

“Okay, do we need to go get one? Or did you already plan this?” It’s obvious what the answer is when Nicky runs out of the room, leaving the three of them there in the mess they’ve made. Neil likes it though, it’s a nice mess of foxes and lights and very home.

“I can stab him, it would put an end to all of this.” It isn’t a question, since Andrew knows the answer will be no, and that just looking at Neil tells him that he is enjoying himself. He’s smiling and his hair is pulled back with a red and green bandana someone managed to give him that shows off the sparkle in his eyes that seems to be there because he is enjoying himself, even if he didn’t initially want to do any of this it’s fun for him to be doing this with the people closest to him. Knowing that it’s safe and that he doesn’t have to run.

Even though Christmas is only three days away, and all their work will be removed in the days after, spending time with the people he cares most for is enjoyable, even though Kevin sometimes sings part of random Christmas songs loudly and out of tune. It makes all the bad that lingers in his mind disappear if only for a little while.

Neil is having fun, especially when Nicky drags in a tree, small like the ones in the other rooms, smaller than Andrew though not by much. Nicky puts it in the corner and beams at Neil, behind him at the doorway is Erik, who has come to visit for the holidays. Probably a big reason Nicky has been so happy the last week, because he has Erik, he gets to spend time with his cousins who are being more friendly towards him and because he gets to make the others happy too, which seems to be a big deal for him at this time of year. It’s good to see him happy, Nicky deserves the happiness, Neil thinks, since he does so much for the rest of the team.

Kevin sets to decorating the tree immediately, either he very much likes Christmas or he has had too much to drink already today. Neil honestly doesn’t know which the answer is, but he joins in anyway, putting tiny exy sticks on the tree next to little foxes and other decorations. None of which are baubles surprisingly, since the other tree’s all have multi coloured baubles hanging from them. He sends a look to Andrew, who is pointedly ignoring them both as he smokes at the windowsill, looking uninterested in everything even though Kevin keeps bumping into him to decorate, and he was slapped in the face accidentally with tinsel.

Neil isn’t fond of baubles, and the only person who knows that is Andrew, because Neil explained all the reasons why Christmas is not really something he can get excited about easily. Some of the reasons are surprising, like the baubles story; while on the run with his mother they were being chased through an empty shopping mall by some goons, who when they ran out of bullets started throwing the decorations from nearby displays at them. A glass bauble had hit him in the head and had cut up some of his neck. There aren’t any scars left from it, but baubles have been on his list of things he doesn’t want to deal with ever again, just because of the memory of it all. He smiles and turns back to the tree. Watching as Kevin tries to decide between a tiny fox with a Christmas hat and a glittery exy stick to put in one spot on the side of the tree.

Nicky is beaming from the doorway with Erik, both are talking absently while watching the decorating. Nicky just seems excites that everyone is happy, and that his choice in decor is being appreciated by someone, even if that someone has been drinking since midday and has been cut off to sober up before everyone drinks later. Andrew watches them silently, blowing smoke out the window and cursing whoever decided that Christmas had to happen during winter when it’s so cold.

🎄

The decorating process took several more hours, because Nicky insisted everything be perfect, even if ‘perfect’ ended up being not even close to it, but it was more about what was making everyone happy. By the time they were done, it was time to head to the girls room for the nightly activity of ‘get drunk and be happy’. Kevin is the most excited about the choice in celebration, since he’d sobered up enough from his day drinking and wants to join in. Neil makes a mental note to make sure he stops drinking tomorrow. He’ll ask Renee to lock away all the alcohol later.

Arriving in the girls’ room, Neil notices the difference from earlier in the day: a giant pile of wrapped presents sit against one wall next to and around the tree. Most of the gifts are wrapped in fox related wrapping paper, making Neil wonder yet again how they are getting all these things and whether they are being made specially or not.

“Have you done your Christmas shopping yet? If you have, bring your things in here later or tomorrow and put them in the pile. If not, well I suggest doing so as soon as possible, since you don’t want to be the idiot shopping on Christmas Eve.” Dan grins before sitting down on Matt’s lap with their drinks, watching Neil’s reaction to gauge whether he has presents yet or not. He has some, mostly just the things he thought others would appreciate. Like getting plane tickets so that particular people could join them for the holidays, even if it’s only until the day after New Years. And getting basic gifts that he thinks the others would appreciate: an appointment for Allison at a salon she really likes, boxing gloves for Matt who’s been teaching Neil to box, a pair of earrings for Dan he thought she would like. But he thinks he might need to go get more.

“How many things did you guys get for each person? I might need to get some other things for some people.” The pile is pretty big, at parts almost as tall as him. The small tree dwarfed at the sides by the mountain of presents, the base of which is boxes of decent size. The tags, as far as Neil can tell, show that the gifts are from a mix of Dan, Renee, Allison, Matt, Aaron and Nicky and Erik’s joint gifts. It is a bit less worrying when he realises that the staggering amount is from so many people.

“Maybe two or three for each person, nothing too much. But most of us got joke gifts as well, just, you know, funny things,” Matt explains, smiling as he watches Neil nod and head over to where he normally sits, which is next to the biggest pile of blankets because Andrew gets cold very quickly and tends to hoard the blankets for himself. The others all have places they tend to sit: Renee and Allison share the other half of the couch that Matt and Dan occupy. Kevin sprawls over an armchair, while Aaron, Nicky and Erik all sit at the opposite side to Andrew and Neil. The way it is all set out forms something of a semicircle around the television. Nicky and Erik enter the room talking loudly about something in German, Nicky’s laughter bouncing off the walls. After that, things liven up some more as the rest of the team turns up slowly and the alcohol starts getting drunk fast.

It’s sort of cute really, the way as the night progresses everyone finds themselves more comfortable. Nicky and Erik are cuddling, drunkenly slurring out “I love you”’s. Matt and Dan are singing along to some Christmas song, while Renee and Allison are talking to Aaron about something that Neil isn’t too interested in, but they seem to be enjoying the conversation so it must be something they like. Kevin, surprisingly sober, is on the phone with Jean and Jeremy who he started dating early in the year. After he and Thea broke up over the summer after he realised that dating her might not have been best for him mentally because she’s Raven through and through. Jeremy and Jean are better for him, and he’s happier than he was the year before, even if Kevin won’t admit it himself.

Andrew has wrapped himself in three blankets and all that is visible of him is part of his face, glaring at everyone else silently. Neil is leaning against his side, watching his family enjoy themselves. Christmas is in two days now, and he knows that it will be fun this year because they’ve made the effort to make it enjoyable for him. He’s never been happier, maybe only after winning against the Ravens the year before, but this is a softer happy, the sort that they don’t get that often.

🎄

Christmas shopping is apparently hectic and hard to do; probably because it is so close to the big day. Most shops are out of stock of a lot of things, so luckily he had gotten the important stuff first. But it is making the search for joke gifts, and other genuine presents difficult. He’s gotten Kevin a book for healthy recipes that actually taste nice. Nicky was a bit easier. He got him a few Pride things that he’d seen Nicky eyeing on one of the shopping trips he’d been dragged along to with Allison and Nicky, both of whom seem to find shopping to be a good bonding exercise. And take him with them once a month. He found a book that he thinks Renee would like, some fantasy novel. He’d even managed to find a video game that Aaron had been complaining to Nicky about not being able to get because the store had apparently sold out.

Several hours later, he’d gotten most of the gifts he needed to. He also had to pick up some presents for the surprise guests he invited, and find the things that he’d been instructed by Andrew to pick up while he is out for the day. The shopping was the least of his worries. He also has to wrap all the things he’d gotten. In total, probably thirty separate gifts. It’s a lot, but it’s mostly small things for each person.

Fox Tower is loud with Christmas music when he exits the stairwell, carrying too many bags, but he refuses to go back down to the car for a second trip. Something smells burnt, probably Dan and Matt’s attempt at cookies, since they had announced that they would be baking some today before he’d left. He thinks that there is more tinsel on the walls than when he left that morning, but he can’t be sure.

“How’d it go, did you get everything you wanted to?” Renee smiles at him, standing outside her room, either waiting for him or needing to be away from the disaster that is probably inside. Either way, it is good to see her. Even if he hadn’t been planning on doing so until later in the day.

“Yeah, most of it. I might have to get things after Christmas, and give late presents if people don’t like some of the stuff. But I have nearly everything I wanted to.” With so little time before Christmas he had been worried that things would become stressed between him and other team members, but it seems that the break from classes and some of their training sessions has actually made things calmer. It’s nice to be able to talk with them so often, and to see most of his friends for hours each day when not involved in training for exy. Even Kevin has stopped their midnight training in favour of spending time with the other Foxes.

“If you need any help I would gladly assist you, I know that it must be difficult for you, since you haven’t had a normal Christmas before.” Renee says, calmly as ever even when talking about Neil’s past. He nods, it’s a good offer. Especially since he has to go to the airport later in the day, and he doesn’t know how to wrap a gift without it looking like he’d done so in the dark, blindfolded and without any idea as to how a present is meant to look.

“Could you help me with the presents, I need to get them done pretty quickly, with you-know-who’s arriving tonight. And before Andrew can see what I’ve gotten him. He doesn’t like the mystery.” He smiles, he’s not sure what Andrew will think of his presents, but Neil likes them and thinks that at the very least Andrew will find them practical. Renee smiles and steps towards him, taking a few of his bags so that he can unlock the door to his dorm room.

“Are you going to get them when the plane arrives?” She is smiling still. She knows of course what is happening, because it was easiest to tell her, and she probably would have found out anyway. It has made it easier, so that she can control things here while he’s gone. Neil nods and drops his bags onto a beanbag, knowing that a few of the things he got might break if he just dropped them straight onto the ground.

He put away the things Andrew asked him to get first, mostly just food with a worryingly high amount of sugar, before returning to his bags. Renee is sitting patiently on the ground, looking at the Christmas themed wrapping paper he’d picked up on his way out of the last shop he’d been in and had grabbed because he didn’t have any left. Neil walks past her to his room, collecting his already bought presents, which need to be re-wrapped because of his poor attempts at doing so.

“It is quite exciting isn’t it? That Christmas is so near now. Everyone is happy, even Andrew seems to be enjoying himself.” While she isn’t wrong exactly, exciting isn’t what Neil would describe it as. It’s more comfortable, it’s not like the excitement of playing a game, but it isn’t boring. It’s the feeling of going home after being away for a long time. He could almost get used to it.

“It’s nice. Andrew just likes the hot chocolate and the excuse to eat all the things Kevin normally hates him eating.” To be fair, Kevin still hates it, but he can’t do anything about it now that everyone is eating the same things. “Speaking of Kevin, have you managed to hide away the alcohol? I don’t think he should be drunk for tonight.”

He turns away from Renee to start pulling out gifts from bags and arranging the other gifts he’d already gotten. There are eight identical boxes; gifts for each person that he’d found and bought on impulse, and the bag of things just for Nicky. There were also gifts for Allison, mostly just stuff he knows she would like, because she’s most likely to judge him based on what he gets. There was Dan’s gift of fox socks and a matching scarf,, and Matt’s boxing gloves, and a box of weird licorice that only he likes. He leaves the book he’d gotten Renee in the bag it came in. He’ll wrap it himself later.

“Yes, it’s all put away in our room, I even talked Andrew into giving me the stuff Kevin hid in here.” She picks up the scarf and smiles at the little fox paw prints and the faces on it. “This is nice, Dan will like it very much.”

Neil is glad to have Renee there while they wrap the gifts. The pile of them getting finished much quicker than he’d thought they would be if he’d been doing it alone, and neater too. They talk while they wrap things, mostly about exy, a bit about the past. Andrew comes up when Renee see’s what he’d gotten, but Neil manages to steer the conversation away from that and back to what everyone will be doing with the rest of the break. Apparently her and Allison are spending New Years together at some Renee’s mother’s. Dan and Matt are staying, while Nicky, Erik and Aaron are heading to Columbia for a little while to forget about school for a few days. Andrew and Neil plan on staying, mostly so someone can keep an eye on Kevin.

Once the gifts are wrapped they keep talking for awhile, mostly just to pass the time. He asks about the burnt smell, and she confirms that Matt and Dan messed up the cookies. They had tried again, but she doesn’t know whether or not they turned out the second time.

Andrew returns to the dorm from wherever he had been, possibly Bee’s since he had gotten her a gift at some point and wouldn’t be seeing her until after break. Although since Neil had taken the car, it’s a mystery how he would have gotten anywhere. He walks past the pile of presents, barely looking at either Neil or Renee as he heads to the kitchen. Renee takes it as time to leave and bids them both a good evening after reminding Neil that she will make sure no one will be suspicious about his plans, and suggesting maybe getting a pair of those sticky bows for the guests, since they are technically presents that he will be picking up.

When she opens the door to leave, Nicky takes his chance to walk in, apparently having seen Andrew come in, carrying a bag in with him. He is grinning, more than normal, or maybe the normal amount, it is hard to tell when Nicky is always smiling. Neil has a bit of a bad feeling about this, as he finds himself on the end of Nicky’s overly cheerful gaze.

“Neil, you know how you love me and would do anything for me?” Bad start to the conversation. This is probably not going to end well. Unfortunately for Neil, Andrew is too busy in the kitchen to notice his cousin’s presence at all.

“What do you want?” Neil starts eyeing the bag, weary of whatever is inside, as it is most likely the basis for whatever Nicky has in mind. He silently hopes for Andrew to come out and make Nicky go away, when Nicky dumps the contents of the bag onto Neil; soft wool lands in his lap. For a moment he’s confused as to why this would be a problem. Until he turns one of the three items over. An ugly Christmas sweater. With foxes and exy sticks on it. How did Nicky even find one of these?

“Allison had them custom made for all of us. They have our names and numbers on the back,” a quick check confirms that, “and the exy design on the front. And we were hoping you’d be able to get Andrew to wear one for when we take pictures on Christmas, Dan wants at least one good one for the wall.” Nicky is a little out of breath at the end, his plea to Neil having been rushed out in a single breathe so that he wouldn’t have to say it again, or alert Andrew to the plan.

Neil looks down at the sweater in his hands, then over Nicky’s shoulder to Andrew who is currently dumping a copious amount of sugar into his hot chocolate and clearly ignoring them. He hopes that Nicky is joking, but the look in his eyes tells Neil that he isn’t.

“I’ll ask. But no promises.” He shoo’s Nicky away so that the probability of death is less likely for them both. Nicky takes his chance and escapes the room as quickly as he had entered it. Neil is hoping that Andrew will say yes to wearing the sweater, it is warm and soft, and his is black with the same design on the front as the other two.

“Hey, ‘Drew? Can you come over here for a minute please.” Neil watches as Andrew slowly stirs his hot chocolate, taking his time to prolong whatever it is that Neil wants him for. When he does make his way over, he catches sight of the bright orange and white and black in his hands and turns away to walk away again. Neil follows, holding the soft material carefully. “Nicky just come over with these, apparently they were made for us and it’s for some team thing that Dan wants to do. It would be good if you’d wear one with us.” He does the wide eyed pouty thing that tends to make Andrew say yes to most things, Matt calls it a ‘puppy dog face’, though he doesn’t understand why. It works on everyone though, so Neil isn’t going to question it. Andrew stares at him a moment before turning away, disgust clear on his face as he takes the sweater with his free hand while lifting his mug to his mouth.

“273%.”

🎄

The drive to the airport was long and boring, Andrew refused to come with him, stating that ‘I’m taking advantage of both junkies being out of my way’ and then going back to the book he was reading. So after the long journey, which only took about an hour, he arrives at the airport. Checking his phone for the time, and to see if he has any messages, a habit he’s gotten into now that he receives a large number of texts from his friends. The plane should have arrived already. Neil knows how long it takes to get through domestic custom checks, he shouldn’t be waiting long. Though he regrets not wearing a heavier coat, because even used to snowy regions, and being without proper gear for cold weather, after the warmth of the car on the drive the chill is more than he thought to prepare for. And since he doesn’t want to have to deal with all the people doing last minute trips inside the airport, he just waits on the hood of the maserati. Slowly freezing while watching the doors as people pour out into the dim light of fading day.

Within minutes of arriving and settling to wait, two people start making their way over to him. They are probably only able to find him so quickly because of the car, and the orange fox jacket he’s wearing that he’d been given as a joke but he loves because it’s soft on his scars and it’s adorable. He takes a moment to text Andrew to tell him that he’s on his way back. And after a moment's hesitation he texts Renee as well, telling her that they’re going back soon, and to make sure everyone will be ready for their arrival. After the affirmation and cheerful greetings of his friends, Neil gets ready to return home. Hoping that everything will turn out well, and that this surprise will be received with happiness, rather than anger.

🎄

The drive is much shorter with other people in the car, conversation filling the air. Neil is glad for it, even if it’s like having Nicky in the car with him. He takes them to the hotel he’s booked first, then once they've freshened up from the few hour plane ride, drives back to Fox Tower. Where, hopefully everyone will be waiting; sober if he’s lucky.

After the hour drive back, the ten minutes at the hotel, then the ten minute drive to Palmetto, it’s gotten pretty dark. Stars are shining in the sky and even though it isn’t snowing, there is frost settling on the glass of the cars in the lot.

“This is exciting, I’ve never surprised someone like this before.” Neil should be used to the continual talking by now, but really when he’s this nervous every unexpected sentence sends a jolt through him as he prepares to face his friends. He doesn’t know how _everyone_ will feel at least.

Leading them into the Tower, Neil waits for the feeling of nervousness to subside before he can let himself go up to their floor. Renee had messaged him confirmation that everyone is in the girls room and that Kevin is lightly liquored up if only to stop his complaining. For some reason, the fact that he has the support of at least one team member makes this easier. Although he knows that if he’d told the others they would likely be happy too, and they would have placed bets on the reactions that would happen.

“They’re in here. I’m going to go in first. I’ll open the door when it’s time for you two to come in, okay?” Nods are his only answer. So Neil, knowing he now actually has to do it, pushes the door open. A course of greetings come his way. The Foxes are relaxed, some movie on in the background as they chat amongst themselves. Everyone seems happy; no better time to do this then.

“Hey, so I may have gotten a present for one of you early that I have to give you now, and no I can’t leave it until Christmas Day, Nicky. So,” Neil opens the door behind him, “Merry Christmas Kevin.”

Upon hearing his name Kevin looks up from his phone, which has what looks to be exy scores on it, probably from the game tonight. He drops it when he sees the two people standing in the doorway behind Neil.

“Jean! Jeremy!” Kevin scrambles up from his comfortable slouch in the armchair, standing now but not moving forward, either too afraid of what might happen if he takes a step forward or unable to force his body to move at all. It doesn’t matter, because Jeremy moves around Neil and throws his arms around his boyfriend, hugging him tightly in lieu of an actual greeting. Jean follows, but just stands smiling next to the other two, waiting his turn for a hug from Kevin.

There are a few ‘awws’ from the others in the room. Aaron makes a noise of disgust, and promptly got kicked by Nicky. Neil smiles and moves over to sit with Andrew who is staring at him like he can’t believe Neil had actually managed to keep this a secret.

“Neil thought we’d like to visit. Sorry for keeping it secret for so long.” The ever bubbly Jeremy smiles, waving at the rest of the Foxes in greeting to them. Jean just nods at them, knowing that they’ll understand. Kevin keeps opening and closing his mouth, either he is at a loss for words or his brain has short circuited and he is no longer able to think. Hopefully it’s the former.

“That’s such a good gift. Now I feel like I haven’t gotten a good enough one. Return them Neil, I have to be the supreme gift giver!” It’s a joke, everyone knows that Nicky is joking about it because he barely got the sentence out between his own laughter. Kevin seems to be functioning better now.

“Thank you Neil. I…” He just smiles and nods at his friend, Neil thinks he understands what Kevin means to say.

After an hour of chatting with the rest of the team, the three of them left not long after, apparently going to the hotel to catch up. Nicky made the obligatory ‘good thing we don’t have practice in the morning’ joke the second they weren’t in the room anymore. It earned him several pillows thrown at him, but no one really thought that that wasn’t where it would probably end up. Everyone else returned to their own rooms for the night. Neil is glad that Kevin isn’t in their dorm room. After all, empty dorm rooms are a gift.

🎄

Neil isn’t sure where the day went, but before he can even focus properly it’s evening and everyone is gathered in the girls room again. This time with the purpose of watching a bunch of Christmas movies because someone let slip that Neil, Kevin and Jean haven’t watched any of the ‘classics’. Nicky was appalled and dramatically fainted into Erik’s arms. Everyone found it amusing, even Aaron who spends a lot of time trying to ignore his cousins dramatics when they involve Erik, probably because he doesn’t like Erik much. Everyone talked over what movies would be best, and which ones they watched as children to try and figure out what they should watch.

Nicky and Jeremy spent about ten minutes talking before gathering all the blankets, including the ones wrapped around Andrew. Jeremy only barely got away with doing so, since Andrew had promised to try not to maim the guests because it could be considered sabotage against the Trojans. Mostly though, he promised just because Neil likes them and if he hurt Neil’s friends he’d probably never hear the end of it. Of course, the agreement came with another percentage.

After obtaining the blankets, they started moving things around, getting help from Matt to move the furniture so that the floor could fit all twelve people who are joining the Christmas celebrations. Chairs and the sofa are used to make walls and a roof for the ‘Christmas Blanket Castle of Greatness’ as Nicky had proclaimed it to be. It’s not exactly that great looking, but it’s pretty warm, especially with everyone having to be squished together to fit inside it.

“Okay, so we agreed to start with _The Polar Express_ because it is one of the more childhood nostalgia movies. No complaining.” Dan is the one running the movies, being captain, and also second scariest person on the team after Andrew, meaning that she is actually listened to. Nicky had wanted to watch _Nightmare Before Christmas_ first, but everyone else ruled it out because Neil and Kevin had been forced to watch it with them around Halloween. Apparently Jean had been subjected to the same fate by Jeremy who loves Halloween just as much as he does Christmas.

After asking ‘Yes or No’ softly, Neil is cuddled up to Andrew, who is only being okay with the lack of blankets because Jean made hot chocolate and it’s the best any of them have had before. Dan teared up a little bit, no one is sure whether it was dramatics or she was actually that emotional over the good hot chocolate. The movie gets put on and everyone gets comfortable in the fort. Neil and Andrew are to the side of the group, since Andrew doesn’t like people in his space and it’s easiest to just put Neil between himself and the others. Erik is next to Neil with Nicky basically in his lap, while Aaron is on Nicky’s other side and is receiving half hugs from Nicky, who seems happy having everyone around. Kevin, Jeremy and Jean are all together in the middle of the group, though they probably will move around a bit since Jeremy keeps muttering that it’s cold and he wants cuddles; Neil thinks he and Nicky should spend more time together, they’d get along great. Dan and Matt are cuddled up under a blanket together with Renee and Allison right next to them. The fort is barely big enough for them all, but it’s not cramped at all.

No one talks during the movie, or the two that follow it. Somehow everyone is just being calm and happy while being surrounded by friends and family. It’s comfortable. and no one is sure how they got so lucky to have this on Christmas Eve. Although it might just be the slightly spiked hot chocolate, or it could be the fact that being together is just as good as being tipsy. Everyone finds themselves completely relaxed and happy while they watch the classic movies that were a part of childhood for some of the Foxes, and that will hopefully become part of a good time for the rest.

Nicky fell asleep mostly on Erik, partially on Aaron. Kevin, Jean and Jeremy are dozing on the other side of them, Jeremy between the other two and glad for all the warmth radiating off them because, like Andrew, he doesn’t handle cold well. Andrew has migrated to cuddling with Neil, only because Neil is warm and no one can really tell while they’re both under the same blankets that Andrew is actually being affectionate. Dan, Renee and Allison are all completely awake, the cheesy Christmas romance movie apparently intriguing them enough. Everyone one else is in a state of comfortable wake-sleep, none completely aware of what’s happening, but not actually asleep. Neil has to admit that if this is what Christmas Eve is, then Christmas Day can not get better than this. Because being surrounded by everyone he cares about, watching movies that mean a lot to them all, eating sugary cookies that turned out not terrible. It’s like a dream that he doesn’t want to wake from.

🎄

Christmas Day arrives to find all the Foxes, plus guests, in a cuddle pile in the somehow still standing fort. It’s warm and cozy and peaceful. Or peaceful for about ten seconds from Nicky waking up.

“It’s Christmas! Everyone wake up, we have to get the presents and-” He would have continued on the list of things that need to happen if he hadn’t had several pillows, a blanket and an empty mug that reads ‘for fox sake’ on it, being thrown at him. He rubs the spot the mug hit, but he’s still smiling brightly as he attempts to untangle himself from Erik, blankets, and somehow part of Kevin. Everyone else joins the effort of getting up, most just because now that they aren’t hazy with sleep, some of the positions they’re in are not comfortable at all. Neil is quite comfortable, wrapped in a blanket and cuddled up to Andrew’s side. But Nicky kicking his side while he tries to get up, combined with the noises coming from everyone else have caused the last remnants of sleep disappear.

Everyone wakes slowly, taking time to get to Nicky’s level of excited readiness. As soon as they do though, Dan has everyone getting up, sending people off to get gifts that aren’t already in the girls room. As well as instructing everyone to put on their team jumpers. Someone, probably Renee who was the only one who knew of it, got Jean and Jeremy Trojan themed sweaters so they could match. Erik has a Fox one to match since he isn’t on a team.

Neil is tasked with waking Andrew, who somehow managed to sleep through the commotion. It became an easy task, because the moment that Neil took away the warmth he provided, plus the blankets that had been shrouding them, Andrew opens his eyes. Likely not having being asleep but hoping to be allowed to remain where he was to sleep again.

“Come on ‘Drew, gotta go get presents. And dressed.” The blank stare would have been unsettling this time last year, but Neil just smiles and hauls his not-boyfriend upright. “Anyway, Renee said she’s making pancakes for breakfast and you won’t get any unless you get up and are wearing your sweater.”

Andrew grumbles all the way to their room, but the threat of losing out on Renee’s pancakes is too much to not go along with Neil, and it  allows him to throw the black sweater at him and to actually put it on. It’s soft at least, and should keep him warm enough that three blankets will be unnecessary. Two will still be used if only to stop others from having them.

Neil smiles as he pulls his on, having clothes that fit him properly, that are for him and haven’t been part of his past is something of a gift as well. Neil hasn’t had a Christmas as enjoyable as this one has been, and he’s been awake barely ten minutes of it. He isn’t sure what that says about this Christmas, or the ones that came before. At the very least he knows that he is happy and that he is happy because of these people who are family to him now.

“Have you got your presents?” Neil turns to look at Andrew, who is wearing the sweater and looking like he won’t acknowledge its existence, even if he’s grabbing the sleeves of it and feeling the softness.

“Yes.” They go about collecting all their presents for other people. Neil is enjoying himself as he attempts to pile up all the presents in his arms. He may have gotten a few too many. After some shuffling and a second trip they get all the gifts into the girls room and onto the pile that is surely taller than the twins and Neil now.

“I think we may have gone overboard a little bit.” Matt says laughing, looking down at the mountain of brightly wrapped boxes and odd shapes. There is laughter from some people, mostly the ones who haven’t already got mouthfuls of pancakes.

Neil gets given a plate of pancakes by Andrew who had, after dropping his armful of gifts near the pile, gone to get some for himself. Nearly everyone is eating their pancakes. Kevin looks dismayed that both his boyfriends are eating the sugary breakfast, but after barely any prodding from Jeremy he agrees to having some, and gets a plate from Renee.  Everyone looks to be enjoying themselves, even though it’s just breakfast; something the team tries to have as a group at least once a week. Although it is often more like brunch most weeks. Neil thinks that it might be the fact that this is a special day that makes it so much more delightful.

“Renee this are amazing! I need these like, every chance I get.” Jeremy calls out to the kitchen where Renee is still making more pancakes even though everyone has some already.

“Thank you, my mother taught me the recipe. Who wants more?” Several Foxes push each other out of the way to get to the kitchen first. Andrew follows calmly behind his teammates, and is the first to return from the kitchen; either because they let him or because Renee had anticipated his wanting more.

Neil smiles while he eats, slowly enjoying the food which is as good as everyone else makes it seem. Andrew leans closer to him,

“Yes or No?” Neil nods in confusion to the question. Andrew leans further towards him and kisses the corner of his mouth. When he pulls away he’s licking his lips clean of syrup which Neil had apparently managed to not notice on the side of his mouth.

A slight aw comes from Jeremy, who doesn’t know better. Everyone else just smiles at them in the way that means ‘we think it’s cute but we don’t want to be stabbed so we’re keeping our mouths closed’. Neil just smiles at Andrew and goes back to eating.

Once nearly everyone has finished their pancakes - some people having eaten three plates of them - presents start being distributed to everyone. Each person ends up with a small pile in front of them, since it seems every member of the team bought several gifts for each person.

The unwrapping process was a mess. With the amount of people and the amount of gifts and the very little room, soon everything was covered in wrapping paper and tape and Matt ended up with a bow on his head. Neil isn’t sure how anyone can identify what they’ve gotten under the ridiculous amount of wrapping paper there is.

Some people exclaim over different gifts they’ve gotten that they particularly like. Neil makes sure to take note of who got him what so he can thank them later for them. Dan’s gift of a camera is nice, the note that comes with it says ‘for when you’re captain, someone needs to keep proof for the wall of the dumb shit everyone does’. The gift card to Exites from Kevin is appreciated, and even though Andrew makes a comment about the Junkies, Neil is happy about it. Renee gave him a pair of fox slippers that are really adorable and he is definitely going to end up wearing them often. Allison got him what are probably some expensive clothes, which he doesn’t need because the amount of clothing he now owns is getting ridiculous. But there are some items with foxes on them, and one that he thinks she had to have gotten made that says ‘If found please return to the angry short one’, he wonders how many times he can manage to wear that one before Andrew would destroy it. Matt got him a new backpack, because Neil keeps refusing to buy a new one for himself even though his is falling apart. Inside the bag is a nice wallet and a little note saying ‘please use this, the binder is really weird and I’ve never seen you use a wallet’.

Aaron got him a gift card as well, probably because he doesn’t care what to get for Neil since they aren’t on great terms. Nicky got him some bath bombs and other things that can help relax him, a little note saying that it’s because Neil had mentioned that it helps soothe any phantom pains from his scars. Neil smiles at his friend, surprised that Nicky would be the one to remember something like the slight pain Neil will be in every now and then, especially after a game.

Amongst the other gifts that he’d been given are smaller things and the joke gifts, he enjoys some of these. Plus a lot of cute fox things because everyone is aware of the fact that he loves his team and having things that are proof of him being real. There is also one from Roland that is for both Neil and Andrew, neither of them open it because of the winky face that is written on it.

Noticeably there is no gift from Andrew. It makes him worry because he knows Andrew got gifts for everyone else, but apparently not one for Neil. At all. Neil ignores it and focuses on everyone else, smiling and laughing at some of the joke gifts that people get from others.

He pays close attention to how Andrew reacts to the weighted blanket that he’d gotten him. And he smiles at the way that everyone seems to like the matching fox charms he got for each person in the team. He’d thought it was cute, and matching each of them is really nice.

Everyone seems to be happy with their gifts from everyone else. All of the best gifts were the ones that have been thought out and were bought with direct intention of use or reason. Though Nicky is adamant that he loves the joke gifts the most, however he’s clutching the teddy bear that Erik got him close and refuses to let go. It’s really adorable, to see everyone of his family being in such a calm environment.

🎄

When Andrew goes up to the roof Neil follows him, it’s habit. He also wants to find out if there is a reason that he didn’t get a present from him. Not that he was expecting much, but it would have been nice to get something from him, even Aaron had gotten him something and Aaron doesn’t like him. Though he doesn’t quite know why this is such a big thing for him. Why it’s making him feel sad.

“Andrew…” It’s quiet up here. Like the earth itself is stilling itself for this one day so that the peace can last just a little longer. “Did you like your gifts?”

Andrew nods silently, offering the lit cigarette to Neil. “Yes, thank you for the blanket. I’m sure that it will be useful. But that isn’t what you want to talk about is it? You want to know why you didn’t get a present from me.” The stare is blank, a sigh is what accompanies when he actually looks at Neil, like he’s bored, like he thinks absolutely nothing of this of what he’s saying and how it might affect Neil.

Neil nods, he feels bad about thinking it, thinking he deserves anything from Andrew at all. He doesn’t. He just thought that, if anyone would give him something, it would be the person who is the reason he is still here. The one who gave him his first gift, the person who told him to stay. But it was just wishful thinking, Andrew isn’t the type to give something meaningful. But Neil thought he’d at least do _something,_ even just giving him a gift card, or some dumb fox thing. But nothing. Nothing is what he is meant to be, so maybe it’s all he should be getting.

“Yeah. I guess. You don’t have to explain though. I can figure it out myself.” He shrugs and takes a drag of his cigarette, hoping that Andrew will just ignore the conversation. Maybe be merciful and move on to something else. Of course, Andrew is not a merciful man.

“My gift isn’t something I can physically give you in a pretty little package. And you won’t be able to actually have it until after today anyway. So I figured that I’d leave it until tomorrow to explain so you could enjoy the rest of today. But if you can’t wait.” Andrew shrugs, turning half towards Neil to gauge his reaction.

“We’re going on a road trip for the rest of the break. I figured that we needed some time away from the others. And since Kevin will be distracted thanks to you, and my brother and cousin are going to Columbia.” Andrew looks out at the sky, grey-blue and cloudy, looking the picture of a winter sky. “I thought that you’d appreciate the break from all the people. And maybe you would like to get away from Palmetto for awhile. I know you still want to run sometimes.” Andrew speaks like he isn’t proposing to run off for a while with him, like this isn’t a big deal at all, but to Neil it is. That Andrew has paid so much attention to him and is willing to get away from the people he normally feels the need to be with. To protect. That Andrew knows that the instinct to run still comes for him sometimes and is willing to do something that will make it lesser.

“Yes or No?” Neil is fully facing Andrew now, cigarette forgotten on the ground next to him as he turns his body.

“Yes.”

Neil leans forward and presses a kiss to Andrew’s mouth, soft and full of all the emotions welling up inside him. It isn’t rushed, there is no hurry to the kiss. It’s just all the emotion and happiness that they’re both feeling being shown in the best way for them to actually share them.

“Merry Christmas Andrew.”

“Merry Christmas Junkie.”


End file.
